Program Intern, Operations Excellence

Pilotcompany; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Pilot Company is seeking an Operations Excellence, Continuous Improvement Intern to join our Knoxville, Tennessee team for the summer of 2027. This in-person internship will run June 7 to August 13, 2027, offering hands-on experience in driving process improvements and data-driven insights across the business.

You'll support data tasks, contribute to project work, and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels to accelerate efficiency, improve data quality, and help shape automation initiatives.

Qualifications

• Rising junior, senior, or grad with Industrial Engineering preferred.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills required.
• Lean Six Sigma knowledge a plus.
• Ability to work with stakeholders at different levels and autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational efficiency through data-driven insights and issue resolution.
• Assist with data tasks to enable deeper project analysis.
• Contribute to actionable insights for process redesign and automation.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Industrial Engineering

Tools

Lean Six Sigma

Job description

Are you a proactive and analytical student with a passion for process improvement and strategic problem-solving? Pilot Company is seeking an Operations Excellence, Continuous Improvement Intern to join our team in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the summer of 2027. This is a unique opportunity to directly accelerate our strategic objective of enhancing organizational efficiency and resolving complex process issues across the business.

What You'll Do

• Drive operational efficiency: Help enhance organizational efficiency by supporting data-driven insights and resolving complex process issues.
• Accelerate project completion: Assist with essential data tasks, enabling deeper analysis of ongoing projects and supporting evidence for new initiatives.
• Analyze and inform: Contribute to actionable data insights that directly inform process redesign and automation efforts.
• Support key projects: Work with our team on projects that lead to quantifiable improvements like reduced cycle times and enhanced data quality.
• Collaborate and problem-solve: Work autonomously as a proactive, reliable, and authentic thought partner, collaborating with stakeholders at all levels of the business.

What We're Looking For

• Education: The ideal candidate is a rising junior, senior, or graduate student, with a major in Industrial Engineering being preferred.
• Technical Skills: Extensive experience with Excel and PowerPoint is required. Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma systems is a plus.
• Soft Skills: A dynamic thinker who can solve problems creatively. We're looking for someone who is a true thought partner, a team player, and can work with stakeholders at different levels. The ability to work autonomously and be proactive is crucial.
• Experience: Previous professional experience is preferred, and some extracurricular activities are a plus.
• Qualities: We value individuals who are driven, reliable, authentic, and welcoming.

Why Pilot Company?

Our culture is built on four core virtues: Driven, Reliable, Authentic, and Welcoming. As an intern, you will see these values in action every day. You'll be part of a team that is driven to meet deadlines, reliable in its commitment to accuracy, authentic in its interactions, and welcoming to new ideas and perspectives.

This is a full-time, in-person internship running from June 7 - August 13, 2027. You'll be working alongside our team in our Knoxville headquarters, where you'll have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and experience the full scope of life at Pilot Company.